Life's questions

Lately Life has been asking me daily ‘are you compassionate and loving?’ I have been doing a sterling job of replying, if I say so myself. Life always checks that we mean what we say, that we really want to honour the choices we say we make. Oh my, I am discovering a part of myself I have not fully appreciated, although I think some of my peeps would say they always knew me that way. The joy of discovering me leaves me filled with gratitude for the healthy and positive lifestyle choices I have made, for my openness to the universe and for working so hard to heal myself and to show others that they are beautiful and can heal themselves.

So I continue to seek the beauty inside of myself and others. I strain toward the light, following its glow, drawing it in and radiating it out.

Life in Transition

My life is in transition, I have spent the past few months trying to create a new rhythm in my life. The past few days I have rested, watched too many crappy hollywood movies, reflected, relaxed, had fun with the family children, rejuvenated and glimpsed at my present/future. This mid-year break is for some deeper reflection. 


As I reflect and take stock I am tempted at times to fight and argue with others, thankfully I understand that these are the precise issues I need to delve deeper into, within me. That this issue is telling me something about myself. I have to unravel the mystery and piece the puzzle together, and usually I have to forgive myself, forgive others and give me permission to do something differently. Then move on to the next issue.


It is illuminating to actually see how easily I can choose to blame others or beat myself up for something and not resolve the matters. Just as interesting and educational is seeing how if I set my mind to it I can move through that moment of blaming me /others and shift into a I'm ok, you're ok view and find clarity and resolution. I am thankful that I practice daily reflection, heaven knows what a mess I would be if I did not.  


I find I am evaluating everything, only motherhood is sacred. I am questioning all my actions / commitments, my motivation for doing them and checking that the values I say I am serving are truly being served. Or is that just what I tell myself I am serving. 


I try to use love and karma (unconditional universal service ) as my tools for measurement of success - tricky because I have to watch out for my own mind games and self sabotage. 


I am also moving into action and starting to do some of the tasks I have been neglecting in my personal life - this is the real rejuvenating, taking control of what is most important - beginning with me, with my home. 

Love

Love is the message and the message is love...... love has to be my way of doing, the outcome of my action and my being.  Love is in short supply in our world and often understood as a male -female binding only and even then it may be a distortion of love. Another common understanding of love is its heavenly nature.  Love as an act of god and not humans.

Then we also have a common understanding of motherly love, between mother and child.

Many of us are learning in this very special time we are living in that love is so much more.... that it has the power to transform and is easily accessible to all. It is a heavenly,  saintly quality that we already have / are, Love. We are love and we are heavenly.

Leaving

Its been a while since I have blogged, that is a pity. I aim to be more regular and consistent. Life is hectic at the moment I am working really hard at my employment. I resigned and am working out my notice period and so I am doing so much regular day to day stuff plus trying to wrap up stuff.

I am sooo tired. Work is pretty exciting as our organisation is reinventing itself and this itself takes energy. On the otherhand leaving - I am learning - can also take a lot of emotional energy. Mostly, for me leaving is an education. I am discovering that people equate ones loyalty to an organisation and being a hard worker with never leaving employment. Iwork at a non government & not for profit organisation. We do amazing work with community care workers and are very impactful. I am passionate about the people and work. StillI am more loyal to myself than to any organisation - we have to be true to ourselves. Noone is irreplaceable, all organisations will easily find a way to replace me or anyone else. I cannot stay forever, in any job. Or people think that because you are passionate about a cause you will stay in that place forever, if anyone was listening they would have known that I am passionate about society as a whole, that my passion is helping people to awaken and that I can do anywhere. I learnt that at AIDS Response.

Keep loving life people. Remember to stay true to yourself and when times are tough at least you will know why. Peace

Princess Vlei, Let the people decide

Open letter to the Press and Mr Bredell

 There have been many voices over a protracted period of time calling for NO MALL AT PRINCESS VLEI, LET THE PEOPLE TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH PRINCESS VLEI! Somehow our politicians do not hear this call. Recently the Cape Town Municipality heard it and decided that the vlei should not be rezoned. The Western Cape Provincial Government decided to rezone the land, against the will of the people.  We have a plan for Princess Vlei and we will make it a reality!

Please hear the people of the immediate surrounds Grassy Park, Parkwood, Lotus River, Ottery, Retreat, Lavenderhill, Zeekoevlei, who also enjoy the support of communities in other parts of the City of Cape Town, when we say WE DON’T WANT A MALL.  A mall will destroy the small traders in our community who have lived and traded here for years and an obvious effect will be the creation of more unemployment in our communities. The vlei is an important heritage site for Khoisan peoples, let us show respect for that heritage. Shopping malls bring increasing access to credit, for communities that are already impoverished we do not need families to have more credit and thus more debt.  There are high unemployment rates and we see an increasing number of our people struggling to buy electricity to cook food.  A mall will not respond to our need for sustainable living. On the other hand, the community has been rehabilitating the vegetation of the vlei and hundreds of indigenous fynbos and trees have been planted, the City of Cape Town has assisted with this process. The community has a plan for the vlei.  The vlei has been home to many varied activities over the years, be it karate club practice on Saturday mornings, baptisms in the vlei on Sundays alongside of groups of people socialising. Very long ago people caught fish there and many a young boy learnt to fish in the vlei.  The environmental impact of a mall on the open space of the vlei is likely to be devastating. Although no formal environmental impact assessment was conducted, from my very basic understanding of ecology and nature though, it is not hard to see that the Princess is a key body of water in the South Peninsula. Princess Vlei is part of the south peninsula wetlands ecosystem that is providing much needed green space, trees and bird life for us to have the oxygen and plant life that we enjoy on the Cape Flats.  When there is construction on the vlei the trees and plants will have to go so that a mall can take its place. Immediately this means less oxygen because remember oxygen comes from plants. The bird life will move to find another space probably in the direction of Rondevlei, Sandvlei and Zeekoevlei etc.  The community activities that do take place at the vlei will cease and the positive impact that this green space currently has on the mental health of our communities will be no more. 

We have said THE PEOPLE WE WILL DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THE PRINCESS, please MEC Bredell, listen to the people, there are many varied interest groups who are opposed to this, why do you insist on pursuing it? The people shall govern and the people will decide what should happen on this land.  This is not your land, those in public office such as yourself are there to serve the public, look after public interest and act on behalf of the public. The public of the Cape Flats are saying we will decide what to do with Princess Vlei, we are moving forward with our plan and we invite the government to join us in implementing it.

Join on Facebook the Save Princess Vlei group, here is the link for anyone else who wishes to support this cause http://www.facebook.com/groups/116600385068084/

Sincerely,

Lorna Houston

Hair

Recently I have been noticing that many people - woman especially - here in Cape Town are wearing extensions, weaves and whatever else they call false hair or worse still human hair. I have always been in favour of sticking with the hair i was born with as curly and croes as it may be, it is part of what makes up this particular being, Lorna. Natural and connection with nature has always been me so i can't begin to understand why other people want to hide away their natural hair. I can only but think it is the same / similar reason why they may straighten their hair - because of the idea that Black is ugly. Black kinky / curly hair, black big lips, black fat nose, etc The truth is that not only black people have these features and that we are all beautiful. [By black people I refer to a wide range of Blackness]

It is sad that we cannot be Black and proud and see the beauty of our blackness that we need to spend thousands of rands on hair - sometimes hair stolen from another's head! - just to make ourselves feel beautiful. We see ourselves through the eyes of the white man and woman, believe the untruths of blackness is ugliness and stupidity, Africa is backward and in need of eternal reams of advice from people from the north. Eyes unable to see the humanity and beauty of black culture.

Wake Up!!!!!!!!

We are beauty, peace, love, purity, bliss. We are all the virtues of hope, harmony, justice, joy and more just like white people we are beautiful.

Wake Up!!!! Go inside yourself, connect with yourself and discover the treasure chest of beauty that is hidden under life's trauma and suffering.

Take a look inside your own heart and see the love that lives there and know that you don't need false or human hair, you are beautiful just the way you are. :)

Don’t get mad get wise

This Blog is taken directly from the Brahma Kumaris - Weekly Message of Inspiration 15 May 2012. I thought it worth sharing.

         

At a recent conversation with a group of young people the subject of anger came up.  As one participant highlighted that society always advises us to find alternative ways to deal with our anger, however suppressing anger is certainly not the answer and further sometimes it is important to let the other know of your anger.  Anger - why does this emotion erupt within us?  Our usual reason is - other people.  Ever heard yourself saying,”you make me angry”.  Certainly, people’s behaviour, ideas, opinions and personality can differ from ours.  Secondly, sometimes we can feel that people have over-stepped their boundaries.  Whatever the reason, is anger useful to me?

          

That is the first question to consider, is anger useful to me?  Have you ever considered what anger does to you?  On a physical level - it increases your blood pressure, your heart rate increases you release adrenalin in the body to cope with this added pressure.  So on a very basic level - anger affects my health.  Secondly, often words spoken in anger can never be taken back.  It can lead to hurt, pain and regret which would need a life time to heal.  Thirdly, anger leads to anger - it creates an endless cycle.  No one learns, changes or grows through anger. 

          

Finding alternative ways to deal with the things that trigger our anger is very important.  Suppressing it is certainly not the answer.  How do we transform that emotion?  In his book, Don’t get mad get wise, Mike George mentions - “any emotion under observation dies.”  To transform and heal I need to firstly acknowledge the emotion.  Secondly, it is vital to recognise that you are responsible for the emotion created.  Irrespective of what happens around you, you are the one who creates the emotion of anger.  No one does it for you - you created it.  Until we acknowledge that our emotions are our own creation only then can we feel empowered to change it.  Thirdly, the understanding that anger is not useful.  I nor anyone around me has ever moved forward through anger. 

          

A useful approach is to take a moment to step back and look at what options there are around you to find a meaningful solution.  Most times, all it requires is COMMUNICATION.  This is a big word.  Communication can truly only happen when emotions are cooled down.  So give yourself the time to be calm before attempting to communicate.  Second rule, always speak from the point of how you feeling as an individual rather than blaming or accusing.  Thirdly be honest and respectful and finally be willing to listen to the other person’s point of view.  Only if we prepared to listen than will we be able to shift from our own perspective.  This shift allows for a way forward.

          
To be able to do this it is very important to cultivate time for self reflection and inner peace through meditation.  When I learn to create inner calm and peace, it gives me the clarity to see solutions and ways to move forward.